Ari Malla
King of Nepal
Reign	1201–1216
Successor	Abhaya Malla

Born	1153 Nepal
Died	1216
Issue	Abhaya Malla
Dynasty	Malla

Arimalla, also known as Aridev Malla, (Nepali: अरिदेव मल्ल) was the first king of the Malla dynasty in the Kathmandu valley, also known as Nepal Mandala at that time.^[1]

Etymology of Malla

Beginning in the early twelfth century, leading notables in Kathmandu valley began to appear with names ending in the term Malla, (literally wrestler in Sanskrit), indicating a person of great strength and power. Aridev was a great admirer of wrestling and was a wrestler himself, thus it possible that he added the word Malla to his name and then the Malla dynasty came into existence. However, this is debated as the word Malla already existed before the Malla dynasty came into existence such as the place Mallapuri conquered by Manadeva.^[1] He was the first king to be called so, and the practice of adopting such a name was followed regularly by rulers in Nepal until the eighteenth century.^[2]

Another possibility is that Aridev adopted the title Malla because it was popular at the time in India. It seems more convincing because Aridev belonged to the dynasty started by Vamadeva, and that none of his predecessors used Malla in their names. If such is the case, it makes the Malla dynasty separate from the Malla community which originated in India. ^[3]

Reign

Although the cause of his reign is unclear, it is believed that he reigned from 1201 to 1216 and was succeeded by his son Abhaya Malla.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Shrestha, D.B.; Singh, C.B. (1972). The History of Ancient and Medieval Nepal (PDF). University of Cambridge.
^ Hays, Jeffrey. "EARLY NEPAL DYNASTIES: LICCHAVIS AND THE MALLA KINGS | Facts and Details". factsanddetails.com. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
^ Regmi, Mahesh C. Regmi Research Series (PDF). University of Cambridge. p. 252.
^ Kessler, P. L. "Kingdoms of South Asia - Nepal". The History Files. Retrieved 2023-01-19.

Preceded byKingdom established King of Nepal 1201–1216 Succeeded byAbhaya Malla

v t e Malla dynasty rulers
Kathmandu Valley	Aridev Malla c. 1201–1216 Abhaya Malla c. 1216–1255 Jayadeva Malla c. 1255–1258 Jayabhimadeva c. 1258–1271 Jayasimha Malla c. 1271–1274 Ananta Malla c. 1274–1308 Jayanandadeva c. 1308–1320 Jayari Malla c. 1320–1344 Jayarajadeva c. 1348–1361 Jayarjunadeva c. 1361–1382 Jayasthiti Malla c. 1382–1395 Jayadharma Malla c. 1395–1408 Jyoti Malla c. 1408–1428 Yakshya Malla c. 1428–1482
Kantipur	Ratna Malla 1482–1520 Surya Malla 1520–1530 Amara (Narendra) Malla 1530–1560 Mahendra Malla 1560–1574 Sadashiva Malla 1574–1583 Shivasimha Malla 1583–1619 Lakshmi Narasimha Malla 1619–1641 Pratap Malla 1641–1674 Chakravartendra Malla 1669 Mahipatendra Malla 1670 Nripendra Malla 1674–1680 Parthibendra Malla 1680–1687 Bhupalendra Malla 1687–1700 Bhaskara Malla 1700–1722 Jagajjaya Malla 1722–1736 Jaya Prakash Malla 1736–1746 Jyoti Prakash Malla 1746–1750 Jaya Prakash Malla 1750–1768
Lalitpur	Purandara Simha c. 1580–1600 Harihara Simha (installed by his father Shivasimha) c. 1600–1609 Shivasimha Malla (King of Kantipur) 1609–1619 Siddhi Narasimha Malla 1620–1661 Srinivasa Malla 1661–1685 Yoga Narendra Malla 1685–1705 Loka Prakash Malla 1705–1706 Indra Malla (Purandara Malla) 1706–1709 Vira Narasimha Malla 1709 Vira Mahindra Malla 1709–1715 Riddhi Narasimha Malla 1715–1717 Mahindrasimha Malla (King of Kantipur) 1717–1722 Yoga Prakash Malla 1722–1729 Vishnu Malla 1729–1745 Rajya Prakash Malla 1745–1758 Vishvajit Malla 1758–1760 Jaya Prakash Malla (King of Kantipur) 1760–1761 Ranajit Malla (King of Bhaktapur) 1762–1763 Jaya Prakash Malla (King of Kantipur) 1763–1764 Dal Mardan Shah 1764–1765 Teja Narasimha Malla 1765–1768
Bhaktapur	Raya Malla 1482–1509 Bhuwana Malla 1505–1519 Prana Malla 1519–1547 Vishva Malla 1547–1560 Trailokya Malla 1560–1613 Jagajjyoti Malla 1613–1637 Naresha Malla 1637–1644 Jagat Prakasha Malla 1644–1673 Jitamitra Malla 1673–1696 Bhupatindra Malla 1696–1722 Ranajit Malla 1722–1769